Red-light camera reprieve in Bellevue is over; fines start Wednesday

A month after city-run traffic cameras started catching red-light runners at two intersections in Bellevue, but only issued warnings, drivers who blow through red lights starting Wednesday will get a $124 ticket in the mail.

The red-light cameras have been up and running on 148th Avenue Northeast, tracking north- and south-bound traffic at the Bel-Red Road intersection and southbound only at Main Street.

Cameras record pictures of cars with drivers who enter the intersection after the light has turned red, and tickets are mailed to the owner of the car. The cameras have been in place for almost a month and more than 1,000 warnings have been sent out, the city said.

American Traffic Solutions administers the program for Bellevue. Bellevue police officers review and confirm each violation before citations are mailed, the city said.

Drivers who receive a citation can log on to www.ViolationInfo.com to see the violation and get more information.

Red-light cameras have been controversial, and Bellevue is among the cities statewide that are being sued in a lawsuit that argues cities are making millions more on red-light traffic citations than state law allows.

Bellevue also has speed enforcement cameras in two Bellevue school zones.